In a historic ruling of the European Court of Human Rights it has been laid down that under certain circumstances the granting of "whole life" tariffs is legal.

After a number of British inmates took their whole life tariffs to this court on appeal this ruling has set the benchmark for many "whole life" tariffs ( when an inmate should stay in prison until he or she dies ). to be accepted as legal for the future.

Now that we have removed the death penalty as a possible solution to this problem I think that surely life should mean life and if it doesn't then the term "life sentence" should not be used any more.

It is good that at last we have seen something positive coming out of the European courts system and I hope that now whenever a "whole life" sentence is laid down by a British high court that that is the end of it.

I agree that if they use the words "life sentence" at all it should mean LIFE and nothing less. If they are going to leave this date of liberation open-ended then it cannot and should not be called a "life" sentence.

I am not and have never been a supporter of the death penalty as I have always believed that not even the highest courts in the land have the right to take any person's life. Having said that I do think that a "life sentence" should mean LIFE and nothing else.